Call Me Lydia

by MaryAnn Myers

  The detective dialed the number for her. "Go ahead," he said. "Tell him what you're supposed to."

  "It's done. It's in," was all she had to say.

  Tony helped her to her feet. She looked back at him from the door. "I only did this for Dan," she cried. "Please under­stand. I only did it for him. I'm a Christian."

  Tony nodded, and when they'd left, he headed for the men's room to check out his face, telling John and Reed he'd only be a minute.

  One look in the mirror confirmed what Reed had said. Three of the cuts probably did need stitches. He scrubbed them as best he could, using paper towels and powdered soap, flinching and swearing the entire time, then wiped them dry. Taking another look, he still had to agree.

  He stopped at Jan's desk to phone Bill, asking him to bring him a clean shirt from his locker, and when that was done, he threw the bloody one away and went back to John's office to wait.

  * * *

  Across town, Lydia was waiting too. Waiting and plead­ing with Betty's sweet Jesus, while Frank and Dave watched an old war movie. The Scotch was starting to wear off, and panic was about to set in.

  "I'm thirsty," she said. "Can I have something to drink?"

  Frank stood up. "Want a Coke?"

  Lydia nodded, watching him as he walked to the door. As soon as he unlocked it and started out, she made a run for it.

  Catching Dave off guard, and with Frank unable to see her, she almost made it out before Dave jumped up and grabbed her from behind. She fought him, kicking and screaming.

  Frank had to help hold her.

  "Let me go! I'll pay you!"

  Frank shook his head - a gesture that in her hysteria seemed even more of a threat and had her screaming louder. Dave covered her mouth with his hand. She bit it as hard as she could and managed to pull a leg free, which she used to kick Frank squarely between the legs. Her next kick caught Dave right in the stomach, setting them both back enough for her to make another run for the door. But she didn't even get close before Dave grabbed her again from behind and literally threw her into the chair.

  "Now cut this shit out!" he shouted.

  Frank was still bent over, clutching himself, so when he straightened up, shaking his head and glaring at her, she feared the worst.

  "Now look, Lydia..." he said, red in the face as he walked over and slowly sat down on the bed in front of her, "make this easy on all of us, and don't try anything like that again. All right?"

  Lydia nodded, all too aware of the gun strapped under his arm, her eyes riveted to it.

  Dave turned, sighing. "Jesus, when Tony said she had a temper, he wasn't kidding, was he?"

  "What?" Lydia swallowed hard, staring. "Are you saying Tony's behind this?"

  Dave's face flushed with having let that slip, especially with the look Frank promptly gave him before answering her. "Yes, but we can't tell you any more than that. I'm sorry."

  He needn't be though, because an explanation at this point would have been futile. Lydia had lowered her eyes and could hear nothing but the sound of what was left of her broken heart, shattering to pieces. Fearing she'd been kidnapped was bad enough, on top of her phone conversation with Bob and the call from that woman, let alone this.

  She looked up slowly. "Tell me again," she said, in a strained voice. "Tell me again that Tony's behind this."

  Frank looked wary.

  "Tell me!" she insisted, drawing her breath in through nostrils now beginning to flare. "Tell me so I know. Is Tony behind all of this?"

  Frank nodded reluctantly - he thought she meant just today, and Lydia went for his gun. He pushed her away, and she rolled to the other side of the bed, grabbing an ashtray, which she threw across the room at Dave. Frank pulled her back, wrestling with her to pin her down, and finally had to sit on her to gain control.

  "Get me something to tie her up with!" he told Dave, panting. "Hurry!" To Lydia then, pushing down on her even more when she wouldn't quit, he ordered, "Stop making this so hard on yourself!"

  "Get off me!"

  "Stop fighting me and I will!"

  Lydia shook her head, still trying to pull free, and when Dave opened the door, she started screaming again. He slammed it shut, rushing back as Frank managed to cover her mouth. But she bit him too.

  "Son of a bitch!" She'd drawn blood, which not only hurt, but pissed him off. When she opened her mouth to scream again, he wedged the side of his forearm in it, pressing down hard until she stopped trying to bite it.

  "Bring me something to gag her with too."

  Dave went into the bathroom for a towel, with Frank still warning her. "Enough, Lydia! All right! Enough!"

  Lydia stared up into his eyes, nodding as best she could, and taking a breath then, Frank glanced down at the way he was straddling her.

  "Tony' s gonna kill us," he said, shaking his head. That set her off all over again: twisting, turning, and biting.

  Frank tore his arm free, and Dave stretched the towel across her mouth, rolling her onto her side so Frank could tie it. This time when he started out the door to the car for some rope, she couldn't make a sound.

  They tied her wrists and ankles then, although she fought them the whole time, and Frank picked her up and put her in the chair, bound, gagged, and glaring at him.

  He walked away, exhausted, and from across the room, shook his head, looking at her. "I don't suppose you'll be quiet if I take that towel off.

  When Lydia shook her head defiantly, he nodded. "I didn't think so," he said and sat down next to Dave, rubbing his arm, bite marks all up and down it.

  Dave's expression echoed his sentiments. "A temper...is putting it mildly."

  * * *

  Bob walked into the office, as if this were just a routine business meeting, and extended his hand to John.

  John declined, motioning to the chair next to Reed, and Bob sat down, glancing at Tony, who was leaning back against the window sill with his arms crossed.

  He dropped his pretense. "I'm surprised to be dealing with you, John. Coming over here, I half expected to be meeting with Tony out on the shop floor."

  John raised a shaky hand to his forehead. "I uh…I really don't want anything to do with this anymore. As you know, I've been ill." He paused. "I'm only here in case Tony needs me."

  Bob looked at Tony with contempt and was aggravated even more by his apparent smug expression. "What's that?" he said. "Your game face?"

  Tony smiled sarcastically. "Like it or not, Bob, you're dealing with me. So don't worry about my face, and let's cut through the shit. Okay?"

  Bob shook his head, about to come right back with something, but John leaned forward, stating, "Lydia and Tony are to be married. I've just moved things up as far as the company goes." He motioned to Reed. "Have you met Will?"

  Bob nodded, eyeing John curiously before looking back at Tony. "So what do you want for the company?"

  Tony shrugged. "I don't know. That's hard to say, since we're not sure what we're worth."

  "You're broke," Bob said, feeling rather smug himself. "So the way I see it, you're not worth much."

  Tony nodded, looking like he half agreed with that. "But Lydia's got this hunch about socking some money into the company, probably just to give her something to do. She's still kicking around that idea of hers about buying the company next door and maybe combining operations." He paused for a second, laughing. "She says we could set our sights higher that way, on bigger prospects. Although, personally, I think it's a little late."

  Bob's face reddened. "A little? Try a lot. That company's as broke as this one."

  John nodded, appearing to be deep in thought. "I don't know how I went broke," he said, as if someone had asked. "I've talked to my doctor about it."

  Bob stared at him for a moment, as if he were seeing something for the first time, and Tony shifted his weight.

  "Any questions about who's calling the shots? Or why?"

  Obviously not. "Perhaps we should be meeting privately on this."


  "What for?" Tony said. "I've got nothing to hide. Will's been with me from the beginning, and John here…." He motioned to him. "He doesn't care, and even if he did, he won't remember half of it tomorrow. So let's talk money. And I don't mean selling."

  Bob's eyes narrowed as Tony continued. "We've been giving this a lot of thought, and we've decided that there's probably more money to be made by getting in on what you have planned."

  Bob didn't say a word. He just sat there. Reed tapped him on the arm. "See, we know all about how this company's been manipulated. We know why, and we want in on it. It's as simple as that."

  Bob's face turned a deeper shade of red. "I don't know what you're referring to, but I've come by some information from a very reliable source indicating that a tax audit would force you into bankruptcy and liquidation. You wouldn't be worth any more than the cost of your machines and inven­tory."

  Tony looked intrigued. "And yet, that's not stopping you from trying to buy us out. How do you explain that?"

  "Easy. I have the capital to right the situation. You don't."

  Tony gave him another sarcastic smile. "Oh come on, Bob, the company may be in trouble, but Lydia's hardly broke. She's got over half a million in cash alone, not to mention what John could get his hands on. So…."

  Bob's one eye began to twitch, and for a moment, he and Tony just stared at each other. A standoff of sorts. Then Bob stood up and took a folded pack of papers out of his lapel pocket.

  "I've drawn up an offer," he said, walking over to give it to Tony. "One I think...."

  Tony wouldn't take it. "I'm not interested," he said. He wasn't about to let this end here. "Or haven't I made that clear?"

  Bob grew furious, turning to John then. "You are insane! You really are! Handing everything over to this two-bit hood! You deserve everything that happens to your daughter!"

  John looked rather confused by this sudden outburst. "Tony did say something the other day about her being in some kind of danger."

  "Danger?! Her only danger is falling prey to him! Can't you see he's just using her?"

  John shook his head, saying simply, "No."

  Bob leaned across his desk in an effort to convince him. "Right now, John! Right now! Do you have any idea where she's at right now? Do you know about his plan to have her held up in some sleazy motel?"

  John shook his head again, looking like the insane man he was supposed to be, but there was a slight flare in his nostrils. "No. But how would you know that?"

  Bob straightened up, realizing what he'd just said, and broke out in a cold sweat as he darted his eyes from Tony to Reed. John rose from his chair. "I asked you a question. How would you know that?"

  Bob stuffed the papers back into his pocket. "I know, because...because Tony's working for me, and this has all been staged to...." His voice got louder. "Will's working for me too."

  Tony cocked an eyebrow. "We're working for you?" He laughed. "Come on. Is that the best you can do?"

  "It's true, and you know it!"

  "Oh yeah? Well, why don't you give John some details then? Give him some facts."

  "You want a fact, punk! I'll give you one! You think you know where Lydia's at?! Well, you're wrong!"

  Tony grabbed him by the throat, lifting him off his feet as he backed him across the room, and threw him up against the wall. "If you've touched her, you're a dead man! You under­stand?! Now where is she?"

  Bob couldn't have answered if he tried, even with Reed and John rushing over and attempting to pull Tony off.

  "Tony, don't do this!" John said, trying to wedge himself between them. "This is not why we're here!"

  "Fuck why we're here! I want to know where Lydia is. And if this sick son of a bitch has done something with her...." He yanked Bob forward and threw him back again. "Where is she?"

  "Lydia's fine!" John said, trying again to get between them. "I tell you, she's fine. Now stop this!"

  Tony looked at him. There was something in his voice, "Stop this! Stop this!" When John nodded reassuringly, he let go of Bob with a shove and stepped back, pulling free of Reed.

  John fussed over Bob then, even straightening his tie. "Are you all right?" Bob said he was fine, nodding, and John patted him on the chest, as if he were relieved to hear that. But there was a part of him that could have very easily stood there and watched Tony beat the truth out of him. That was evident in his voice now as he looked into Bob's eyes.

  "Good. Then listen to me...and listen carefully. Lydia is my only child. She's all I have to live for. So don't insult me by thinking for one second I don't know exactly where she is, because I do. Now let's get back to business."

  Bob nodded nervously, clearing his throat several times, and John suggested they "all sit down and relax."

  Tony walked over to the window, where he stood staring out with his back to them. A tense moment of silence followed, one that had Reed thinking of what Lydia said about a cornered rat always smelling the same. All he needed was the right lead. "You know, Bob," he said. "We can bypass you all together and go straight to Bolton on that run." He'd narrowed the companies down to three, picking the one he leaned toward the most. "But of course, to do it right we would have to go with that idea of Lydia's."

  Bob drew a breath and was about to say something. Reed thought he was going to deny the connection. He even shook his head. Then he stood up, and in doing so, pulled a gun out of his coat pocket. "So you've got it all figured out. Big fucking deal!"

  Tony turned, lowering his eyes to the gun. "Aw, Jesus Christ. Come on, old man, that's not necessary. We're not talking life and death here."

  Bob pointed the gun at him and started backing up toward the door. "Oh, but we are. I haven't come this far for nothing."

  Tony took a cautious step forward. "It won't be for nothing. We want to do business with you. Come on, put the gun down and talk to John."

  "Do you think I' m crazy?" Bob spat. "What's there to talk about? You've got it all figured out!"

  "No, we don't," John said. "We only know part of it. We need you to…."

  Bob shook his head, looking like a madman as he worked his lips back and forth, and Tony took another slow step toward him. Bob turned on him again. "Stop! You make another move, and you're the dead man!"

  Tony held his hands up, nodding, and Bob smiled - a sick, perverted smile that would frighten most. But considering where Tony had been, it had no effect.

  "Okay, you're right," he said. "We do have it all figured out. So now what?"

  Bob swallowed, and Tony taunted him further. "Let's see, who all's involved? There's Dan Morris, and...."

  "You won't get anything out of him. He won't be talking to anyone."

  Tony took another step forward. "No shit? That's a shame. And here his sister was just talking about him."

  Bob's eyes widened.

  "Yeah, she uh...talks a lot, you might say."

  Bob panicked. They did know. He had to get out of there. But first...He steadied the gun with both hands, aiming it at Tony's chest.

  Suddenly from behind, a detective rushed in, another covering him from the side. "Freeze! Drop your weapon!"

  Bob fired! The bullet just missed as Tony ducked. The window shattered behind him. Then Bob turned the gun on himself, but a shot rang out from his right, winging him in the arm, forcing him to drop his gun, as he slumped to the floor.

  Tony walked to the nearest chair and sat down, taking a deep breath, and then another, and looked over at John and Reed. The detectives would call what happened after that pretty routine.

  A makeshift bandage was wrapped around the wound on Bob's arm, and he was read his rights and helped to his feet. He glared back at Tony from the door, making threats. And that was that.

  After they left, taking only a moment to reflect on what had just taken place, Tony stood up to leave. "I'm going to go get Lydia."

  John nodded, and Tony stopped at the door. "What you told Bob, about knowing where she was?"

  John smiled,
but with tears in his eyes. "When you're a father, you'll understand. It's not that I didn't trust you. I just wanted to make sure your plan worked."

  Tony nodded, understanding already.

  * * *

  Lydia leaned her head back on the chair, forcing saliva down her throat again and again. The towel was so tight it was making her jaw numb. As she stared straight ahead, her look of defiance slowly disappeared.

  She'd been thinking about Tony's hatred when she first came, his taunting her to sell out, the way he insisted she stay out of the shop, the gruesome scare tactics, those poor dogs... all of it. All of it was just part of a plan - his plan.

  But then she remembered the way he'd held her and how safe she felt in his arms, the look in his eyes when he made love to her, the promises he made, and how very much she loved him.

  Frank got up from his chair and walked over and sat down on the bed in front of her. "Don't cry, Lydia. Come on.... Every thing's going to be all right." Lydia turned away, staring at the wall as tears ran down her cheeks. Frank felt helpless watching her. "I'm going to take this towel off, just don't scream. Okay?" He untied it carefully, trying not to pull her hair, then, taking it out of her mouth, dabbed at her tears with the end of it. "I wish you hadn't made us do this."

  Lydia brought her lips together to swallow, looking away again, and Dave heard a car pull up. "It's Tony," he said, peeking out through the drapes.

  Lydia gasped, and when Frank suddenly looked apprehen­sive himself, she became even more frightened. This was it.

  Dave opened the door and stepped back. "Jesus! What happened to your face?"

  Tony shook his head, staring past him. "Why is she tied?"

  Frank stood up to explain. "She wouldn't stay put. She kept trying to make a break."

  Tony looked furious hearing this, harsher yet with the cuts on his face, and as he started toward her, Lydia glanced frantically from Frank to Dave for help.

  Tony didn't understand and grabbed Frank by the arm. "What the hell's going on? What's she afraid of?"

  "You," Frank said. "She wouldn't believe us. She thinks...."

  Tony motioned to the door. "Go on. Leave us alone."